Envelope



Patented July 12, 1927.

team

' HARRY E. KAPLAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ENVELOPE.

Application filed September 8, 1925 Serial No. 54,862.

One of the annoyances attending the use of conventional envelopes is the difficulty in opening the same. If a knife or other implement used, it must be inserted under a flap and sometimes it is difficult to find space for the insertion of the implement. Or if an edge of the envelope is torn off, it often happens that a portion of the contents of the envelopeis also torn.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide an envelope of novel and improved form having-ready .means whereby it may be opened without employment of a paper cutter, or the like, and without the danger of damaging the contents.

A still further ob 'ect of my invention is to provide an envelope of the above character having means permitting it to be used again after it has been once opened.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a blank so constructed as to be readily folded into an envelope and of such a shape as to avoid the waste of material accompanying the manufacture of ordinary r envelopes.

In the accompanying drawing in which I have shown a selected embodiment of my in Fig. 3 folded to form the second envelope.

Fig. 5 Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the blank shown in Fig. 1 comprises a body portion 1 having four edges 2, 3, Al and 5 separated from the body portion by the lines 6 and 6 which may be conveniently formed by perforations so that the edges may be readily detached from the body portion. The blank is adapted to be folded on the line 7. which line may be marked on the blank if desired, although this is not essential. The edges 2. 3, 4 and 5 are preferably gummed either throughout their extent or else if de sired only on one side of the line 7, which it is noted. is centrally disposed, dividing the is a section on the line 5-5 of blank into two equal and symmetrical per:

tions. 7

The blank shown in Fig. 1 is made into an envelope by folding into the position shown in Fig. 2, the folding taking place along the line 7. The folded over edges 3 and 4; are secured together by their gummed surfaces, but the edge 5 is not secured to the edge 2, the central portion thereof being severed from the edges 3 and 4 at the lines 6 and 6 and folded down to the position shown in, Fig. 2, thus permitting insertion of a, letter or the like. The envelope is then ready for use, and when the letter is inserted the edge 5 is brought into contactwith the edge 2 and secured by means of the gummed surface provided on one or both of said edges.

lVhen the envelope is received at its destination, the edges 2, 3, 4 and 5 are torn off from the body portion, this being easily accomplished because of the lines 6 and 6.

The body portion 1" may then be flattened out to the position shown in Fig. 3.

Secured to the body portion on one side of the line 7 and within the lines 6 and. 6 are gummed flaps 8 normally folded, as best shown in Fig. 5, so as to be received within the envelope formed, as shown in Fig. 2. After the edges 2, 3, 4t and-5 have been removed the flaps 8 may be opened out to the position. shown in Fig. 3, and the blank folded again on the line 7, but in a reverse direction to its original folding. The flaps 8 may then be folded over and .used to se cure the body portion 1 in the position shown in Fig. l, thus forming an envelope which may be readily employed for return use.

From the above it will be apparent that I have provided an envelope which may be readily manufactured without waste of material such as is present in the manufacture of standard envelopes, which may be readily opened and which when opened may be again employed. For example, if a communication is sent out and an answer thereto is desired, it has been known to enclose a. return envelope, either stamped or otherwise. According to my invention it is not necessary to enclose a separate envelope, which adds to the weight and consequently to the postage required, but which also usually has to be folded to be received within the envelope in which it is sent. Instead the inside of the envelope may be provided ceiver has to do is to follow the procedure outlined above, which provides him with the means for replying to the communication enclosed.

Other uses will, of course, suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. 7

I am aware that changes in the form, construction' and arrangement of'parts may be made without departing from the spirit and without sacrificing the advantages of the invention and I reserve the right to make all such changes as fairly fall within the scope of the following claims: 7

I claim:

1. An envelope comprising a blank foldable into front and back half sections and provided with weakened lines parallel with the respective edges of the blank, said blank being gummed between the weakened lines and the respective edges of the blank, and foldable gumined resealing flaps carried by one of the sections of the blank and-extending along the weakened lines thereof at the inner sides of said lines.

2. An envelope comprising a rectangular blank foldable into front and back half sections and provided with weakened lines parallel with the respective edges of the blank, said blank being gummed between the weakened lines and the respective er. of the blank, and fold-able rescaling flaps carried by one of the sections of the blank and extending along the weakened lines thereof at the inner sides of said lines, said flaps being normally folded against the blank and lying entirely at the inner sides of the weakened lines, the outer faces of the flaps being gummed.

3. An envelope comprising a rectangular blank foldable into front and back half sections and provided with weakened lines parallel with the respective edges of the blank, one of said sections being gumined between the'weakened lines and the respective edges of the section, and foldable reseaiing flaps carried by one of the sections of the blank and extending along the weakened lines thereof at the inner sides of said lines, said flaps being normally folded against the blank and'lying entirely at the inner sides of the weakened lines, the outer faces'of the flaps being gummed. o

4. An envelope comprising a blank provided with weakened lines parallel with the respective edges thereof and gummed between the weakened lines and the respective edges of the blank, said blank being foldable into front and back half sections to bring the gummed portions of one section into junta-position with the gummed portions of the other section, said gumined portions adapted to be severed from'the blank along the weakened lines thereof, and foldable rescaling flaps carried by one of the sections of the blank and extending along the weakened lines thereof at the inner sides of said lines, said flaps being normally HARRY E. KAPLAN. 

